Reviewed by Tom Bell
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SOFITEL METROPOLE - REVIEW
If you love big hotels, you’ll fall head over heels for this grand dame of French colonialism. It's one of Asia’s finest – as good as the city in which it stands – and its enormous central courtyard holds gardens, swimming pool, restaurants and a bar: the best place in town for cocktails before supper. Flaming torches flicker in the night, uniformed waiters swoop with martinis… even the stoniest heart will know a moment’s happiness here.
Bedrooms may not be the strongest suit, not because their colonial delights fail to seduce – far from it – but merely because you are away for the glitter and gossip. Make sure you settle in for afternoon tea (there is a chocolate buffet of epic proportions), while Spices Garden restaurant cooks up some of the best Asian food you’ll ever eat. As for the ladies who run reception: huge smiles, gorgeous uniforms and an eager willingness to help their guests. It’s got all the right ingredients for a perfect stay, and with the Hoan Kiem Lake right on your doorstep, you couldn’t be better placed to explore downtown Hanoi.
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